Air vent devices for air conditioning systems

ABSTRACT

An air vent device for use in any type of air conditioning systems, in particular that of a motor vehicle employing a stream of air, including a flexible blade mounted for deflection of the air stream, apertures therein through which the stream of air passes and a plurality of fins or tubular deflectors extending generally perpendicular to the blade. The combination is preferably formed as a single body of moulded plastic or of metal. The air vent can be adjusted to various positions for converging and diverging the stream of air, a given deflection producing a certain degree of divergence or convergence of the deflectors. Means for mounting the air vent includes freely and slidably mounting the ends with a guiding slot and pin arrangement therebetween, and freely mounting one end for movement and the other end for pivoting.

United States Patent Pernoud [451 Nov. 21, 1972 [54] AIR VENT DEVICES FOR AIR [73] Assignees: Regie Nationale des Renault, Billancourt; Automobiles Peugeot, Paris, both @Fransc 22 Filed: Aug. 10,1970

21 Appl.No.: 62,505

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 19, 1969 France ..6928436 [52] U.S. Cl ..98/121, 98/40 V, 239/519 [51] Int. Cl. ..F24f 13/08 [58] Field of Search.98/40, 40 D, 40 V, 40 VM, 114, 98/121, 121 A;4l5/1S6, l48;49/2l6;

2,630,054 3/1953 Peterson ..98/40 V 2,674,403 4/1954 Whiton ..4l5/156 2,811,094 10/1957 Auer ..98/40 V Primary Examiner-William E. Wayner Attorney-Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher [5 7] ABSTRACT An air vent device for use in any type of air conditioning systems, in particular that of a motor vehicle employing a stream of air, including a flexible blade mounted for deflection of the air stream, apertures therein through which the stream of air passes and a plurality of fins or tubular deflectors extending generally perpendicular to the blade. The combination is preferably formed as a single body of moulded plastic or of metal. The air vent can be adjusted to various positions for converging and diverging the stream of air, a given deflection producing a certain degree of divergence or convergence of the deflectors. Means for mounting the air vent includes freely and slidably mounting the ends with a guiding slot and pin arrangement therebetween, and freely mounting one end for movement and the other end for pivoting.

7 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHHYM I972 AIR VENT DEVICES FOR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS The present invention relates to an air vent device for air conditioning systems in particular for use as outlet air vents for ventilating systems, forced or natural air or heating systems; passengers compartment for vehicles in particular motor vehicles; living premises or the like provided with built-in or portable systems (blown air heating systems, refrigeration systems, air conditioning systems, ventilation systems, etc...); and other devices such as hair dryers.

The present invention is an improvement of the device disclosed in the U.S. Pat. application Ser. No., 6.715 filed on Jan. 29, 1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,590 and issued 3/14/72, for improvements in the vent devices for vehicle air conditioning systems.

An object of thepresent invention as well as that of the above-mentioned patent application is a device for either concentrating or diffusing a stream of air as well as the entire range of operation therebetween. A further object of such a device is a simple industrial construction.

Except as described in the above-mentioned patent application, known prior art devices do not enable the concentration and diffusion of a stream of air by the same device at the will of the user. Devices are known in which the air vent only converges a stream of air. Other devices are known which diverge a stream of air. And still other devices enable the variation of the orientation of the stream of air by means of a swivelling vane or a certain number of juxtaposed fins which are always maintained parallel to one another.

As in the above-mentioned patent application, the device according to the present invention comprisesa combination of vanes or fins that are simultaneously controlled to converge or diverge a stream of air. In addition, the device according to the present invention includes additional features described hereinbelow.

Curved or straight fin or tube deflectors are rigidly fixed on or preferably integrally formed with a flexible blade which permits the flow ofa stream of air.

Each fin or tube is arranged a the same angle, at its point of connection with the flexible blade, relative to the line normal to the median line of the blade at this point. Thus by so forming the flexible blade, an automatic and simultaneous adjustment of the orientation of the combination of the fins or tubes is effected.

In particular, if the blade support is flexed in such a manner that the concavity is the same side along its entire useful length, the convergence, for example, of the combination of the fins will be increased. In flexing the same support blade in the opposite direction, the divergence of the fins will thus be increased.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1a shows a flexible blade with parallel fins for providing a parallel stream of air;

FIG. lb shows a flexible blade for providing a converging stream of air;

FIG. shows a flexible blade for providing a diverging stream of air;

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of an embodiment of a case with a flexible fin carrier according to the invention;

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which a flexible blade supports tube deflectors;

FIGS. 4a and 4b show the normal and the flexed position respectively of a blade carrying fins having different lengths for aesthetic reasons;

FIGS. 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d show an alternative embodiment in which the fins are not secured perpendicular to the flexible blade, but displaced a certain number of degrees therefrom;

FIGS. 6 and 7 show various modifications of the flexible blade and the fins;

FIGS. 8 and 9 show two examples of maintaining and guiding the flexible blade in the housing;

FIGS. 10 and 11 show two possible industrial embodiments of the blade and the fins in which the device of FIG. 10 is moulded of plastics material and the device of FIG. 11 is formed by cutting out and bending a metal blade.

Referring to the drawings, in particular to FIGS. 1a, lb and 1c, the characteristics of the air vent device according to the invention comprise a flexible blade 1 carrying fins 2 enabling air to pass through the spaces between the blade and the fins. The flexible blade in FIG. la is, in its normal non-flexed position, thereby yielding a parallel stream of air. In the position shown in FIG. lb, the blade is flexed in a direction in order to converge the stream of air whereas in the position shown in FIG. lb the blade is flexed in the opposite direction for obtaining a divergent stream of air.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2 given by way of example for a housing 3 with a cover 3', the flexible blade 4 includes apertures 5 for passing the air through the blade and between the fins 6. A vane 7 is disposed upstream of the blade for adjusting the rate of flow of the stream of air.

The device for controlling the deformation of the flexible blade is not shown in the embodiment of FIG. 2. The adjustment of the rate of flow of the stream air can be assured by any known type of vane controlled independently of or responsive to means for controlling the deflection of the blade and mounted on the housing, the cover 3' or at any other point along its associated air duct.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, also given by way of example, the flexible blade 4 carriers deflector tubes 8 aligned with the apertures 5 in the blade. Additional air passages 9 could also be provided in the blade 4.

FIGS. 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d show flexible blades with fins differing in their length, and their connection with their respective blades.

In FIGS. 4a and 4b, the fins are of different lengths and arranged in such a manner that when the blade is in its flexed position as shown in FIG. 4b to assure the maximum divergence, the free ends of the fins are aligned either along a straight line or curved line for aesthetic reasons.

Different angles of orientation of the fins in the converging or diverging position can be obtained so that the blade is flexed the same degree in one direction or the other.

FIG. 5a shows the normal position of the blade with non-parallel blades arranged thereon.

FIG. 5b shows the position in which the fins are parallel when the blade is flexed (this position shows the shape in which the blades and the fins could be moulded in one piece).

FIG. Sc shows the maximum converging position in which the fin at the far left is deflected through an angle A corresponding to a deflection F of the blade.

FIG. 5d shows the maximum diverging position in which the fin at the far left is deflected through an angle B corresponding to same value of deflection F.

FIGS. 6, 7 and show fins which extend beyond the two sides of the flexible blade. In the embodiment of FIG. 6 the flexible blade 4 is located on the lower edge of the fins. In the embodiment of FIG. 7 the blade is formed by two ribs 11 connected to the upper and lower edges respectively of the fins. This embodiment corresponds to the central portion of the embodiment of FIG. 10.

In FIGS. 6, 7 and 10, the blade 4 or the ribs 11 forming the blade, if necessary, can be reinforced or made more rigid by a metal wire (a piano string for example) or a metal blade inserted during molding or connected after moulding to the single body formed of plastics material.

The blade must be held and guided in the casing while at the same time being free to flex a certain degree.

The blade can, for example, be free to displace by a groove at its two ends and guided at its middle portion by a pin and slot means 10 (FIG. 8).

The blade could also be fixed at one of its ends to a by pivotally mounting or embedding, the other end can be slidably, hingedly or deformably displaceable (FIG. 9).

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment formed as a single moulded body with a blade 4, ribs 11 which take the place of the central portion of the blade, and fins 6.

FIG. 11 shows a metal blade 4 which by cutting out forms apertures S and by bending the portions cut out forms fins 6.

Other than the advantages connected to the use of a grid with fins whose convergence can be varied, the device according to the invention has the following advantages:

The manufacture or the fabrication in a single body the combination of fins or tubes which provides a simple apparatus which is easily assembled.

The device according to the invention easily lends itself to the construction of the flexible blade and the fins in a single body of synthetic material (plastics material) pressure moulded for example which is economical.

The deformation of the fin carrying blade to adjust the convergence of a stream of air can be effected as follows:

directly manipulating the fin carrying blade either by pulling or pushing on the central fin or by rotation of the end fin acting as a control lever; or by indirect control by means of cams, levers, gearing or any other known means.

In order to maintain the flexible fin carrying blade in a particular adjusting position it may be necessary to overcome the resilient return force by friction of the therewith III direct response to the deflection thereof,

and means for controlling the deflection of the blade and thereby the position of the deflectors for effecting the convergence and divergence of a stream of air passing through the apertures.

2. An air vent device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deflectors are mounted on the blade so that for a given degree of deflection of the blade in one direction there is corresponding angular movement of the deflectors relative to their normal position and that for the same degree of deflection in the opposite direction the angular displacement of the deflectors is equal and opposite the angular movement of the deflectors responsive to the deflection in the said one direction.

3. The vent device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for controlling the position of the blade including said first and second positions and a range of positions therebetween.

4. A vent device for converging and diverging a stream of fluid, comprising a flexible blade member mounted for deflection in a direction transverse of its length, a plurality of substantially planar deflectors fixed to the blade member, said blade member having an area and contour between adjacent deflectors for permitting fluid to flow between the deflectors in about the deflection direction of said blade member, and said blade is mounted in a housing wherein a control vane is disposed in the housing upstream of the blade.

5. The vent device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the ends of the blade are slidably mounted in the housing, and wherein the blade includes a pin mounted for displacement in a slot provided in the housing for guiding the movement of the blade.

6. The vent device as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of the ends of the blade is pivotally mounted in the housing and the other end is movably mounted relative to said one of the ends.

7. A vent device for converging and diverging a stream of fluid, comprising a flexible blade member mounted for deflection in a direction transverse of its length, a plurality of substantially planar deflectors fixed to the blade member, said blade member having an area and contour between adjacent deflectors for permitting fluid to flow between the deflectors in about the deflection direction of said blade member and said blade having a first deflected position for converging a stream of air, a second deflected position for diverging a stream of air, and a normal nondeflected position between said first and second positions. 

1. An air vent device for controlling a stream of air comprising: a flexible blade mounted for deflection and having a plurality of apertures therein, a plurality of deflectors fixed to the blade for movement in unison therewith in direct response to the deflection thereof, and means for controlling the deflection of the blade and thereby the position of the deflectors for effecting the convergence and divergence of a stream of air passing through the apertures.
 1. An air vent device for controlling a stream of air comprising: a flexible blade mounted for deflection and having a plurality of apertures therein, a plurality of deflectors fixed to the blade for movement in unison therewith in direct response to the deflection thereof, and means for controlling the deflection of the blade and thereby the position of the deflectors for effecting the convergence and divergence of a stream of air passing through the apertures.
 2. An air vent device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deflectors are mounted on the blade so that for a given degree of deflection of the blade in one direction there is corresponding angular movement of the deflectors relative to their normal position and that for the same degree of deflection in the opposite direction the angular displacement of the deflectors is equal aNd opposite the angular movement of the deflectors responsive to the deflection in the said one direction.
 3. The vent device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means for controlling the position of the blade including said first and second positions and a range of positions therebetween.
 4. A vent device for converging and diverging a stream of fluid, comprising a flexible blade member mounted for deflection in a direction transverse of its length, a plurality of substantially planar deflectors fixed to the blade member, said blade member having an area and contour between adjacent deflectors for permitting fluid to flow between the deflectors in about the deflection direction of said blade member, and said blade is mounted in a housing wherein a control vane is disposed in the housing upstream of the blade.
 5. The vent device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the ends of the blade are slidably mounted in the housing, and wherein the blade includes a pin mounted for displacement in a slot provided in the housing for guiding the movement of the blade.
 6. The vent device as claimed in claim 4, wherein one of the ends of the blade is pivotally mounted in the housing and the other end is movably mounted relative to said one of the ends. 